ali, why does it have to be a scr scramble as the fiscal cliff is approaching and why right now? what will it take to hold congress' feet to the fire finally? i mean, if it has not been held to the fire now sh, and how soo will people start feeling the pain if no deal is reached? ali, bring in both sides of the political aisle and republican strategist anna navarro and maria cardona in washington. welcome the both of you. anna, why are we here right now? why are we sitting here right now talking about this right now with the senate gone home and congress in there working and the light is on, but few people are at home. why are we doing this? >> there is no good explanation. there's definitely no justification and no excuse for this. this is like, don, when you at the beginning of the year, when you are in school at the beginning of the year and you have been assigned a big project and you leave it to the last night. when i used to do thoo i was punished. if kids behaved the way the congresspeople were, they would be in time-out. if it were the private sector, they'd all be fired.